Phonograph spindle



July 11, 1950 E. c. GUEDON PHONOGRAPH SPINDLE Filed Feb. 20; 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Emile E. fiuedun. BY

Z ATZORNEY.

Patented July 11, 1950 i UNITED STATE PHONOGRAPH SP INDLE Emile C. Guedon, Audubon, N. J

Application February 20, 1946, Serial N 0. 648,978

support onfthe spindle and at'their edges by a supporting. device located at one side of the turntable. I g V r 'Phonographs ,oi the type indicated employ a spindle whichis provided above the record supporting shoulder with a record detaining member. This member cooperates with all but the lowermostrecord of a sta'ck of records supported on the shoulder torestrain lateral movement thereof as the lowermost record is moved laterally for discharge thereof from the shoulder, To ermit such lateral movement of 1 the lowermost record, the restrainingjmember is in each case spaced ab'ovethe co'operatingshoulder a distance somewhatgreater than the thickness of conven-' tional disc records. For a great many .years,

such records,as suppliedto the'market, have had a thicknessyin vthe neighborhood of about 0.090 inch. In recent years, a new form of disc record has appeared which is much thinner than the aforementioned recordsand which has a thicknessof only about 0.045 .inchto about 0.055 inch. Now, these new records cannot be used satisfac torilyon drop type automatic phonographs having spindles of the type heretofore known because, in practically allcases, the spacing between the record supporting shoulders and the record detaining members thereof exceeds the combined thickness "of two such thin records. Hence, when a stack of the new,thin records is loaded" in a phonograph of the type indicated above and the phonograph is set inoperation, the two bottom records of the stack will be discharged at a tim duringeach cycle instead of only one; 7

Itis the principal object of my present inven tionflto'provide an improved spindle for phonographs offthe typespecified above which will be entirely free from the previously mentioned ob jection. More specifically stated, it is an object of my present 'invention to provide an improved turn-- table spindle for dropftlpe automatic phono graphs whichwill readily accommodate records of. different thicknesses and which will function to permit discharge o'flonly one record atatime regardless ofit's' thickness;

.r ln'other object of present invention is to rovide an improved turntable :spindlefor phonon graphs the "type' set forth above which can 8 claims. (01. 274-40) be adjusted very easily to suit the thickness of eitherjthe old conventional disc records, or the new, thin disc records.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved turntable spindle as previously set forth which is suitable for use in and can be applied readily to existing drop type automatic phonographs whereby such phonographs can easily be made suitable for the new, thin records as well as for the old, thicker records.

Still other objects of my present invention are to provide an improved turntable spindle as described above which is ver simple in construction, to provide a spindle whichis extremely efli cient in use and is, in fact, practically fooLproof, to provide a spindle as aforesaid which can be manufactured easily and economically in large quantities, and to provide a spindle which is very inexpensive in cost.

The .foregoing and other objects and advantages of my invention, which will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, I accomplish by making the record supporting shoulder or other similar member and the record stack de- I taining member adjustable relative to each other axially along the spindle By this expedient,,the spacing between the supporting member andthe detaining member can be varied at will to suit the requirements of records of any desired thickness. While either one or both of the supporting member and the detaining. member may be adjustably arranged on the body of the spindle, I preferably arrange the detaining member to have a relatively fixed record stack detaining position and adjustably mount the supporting member on the spindle body for adjus'tmentr-elative to the detaining member. A suitable latch orother holding. means cooperates with the adjustable record supporting member to hold it in the de'- sired position'of adjustment.

It will be understood that my present inventionis capable of receiving a variety of expres sionsn For purposes ofIillustration, I have shown two embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings in which the :same reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which-'- Y Fig. l is a front elevation of one form of spindle according to my present invention, the adjustable record supporting member being shown in several positions by means or the dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof with the record supporting memberset to render the spindle suit;

3 record supporting member set to render the; spindle suitable for relatively thin records.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the record supporting member being shown in dotted lines in the position which it occupies when rotated 90 from the position thereof shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 9 are views similar, respectively, to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with Fig. 9 showing the spindle partly in longitudinal section along the line 9--9 of Fig. 8, and 1 Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines lI and 8'8 of Fig. 6.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, there is shown, in Figs. 1 to 4, a spindle body I having a lower part 2 which can befinonerotatably arranged in concentric relation toa turn: table (not shown) in known manner and which is formed with a shoulder 3 above which theibodyyl I has an upper part 4 of reduced cross section in .prolongation or continuationof the lower part 2.

Theup-per spindle part 4 is preferably located at one side of the axis of the lower spindle part -2, and. is formed at its upper extremity with a yoke 5. Pivotally mountedjin the yoke 5 on a pin 6 which extendsina direction at a right angle to the spindle axis is a record detaining member or detent I which can be swung on its pivot pin 6 so as to occupy either a raised position concentric with the lower spindle part :2, in which case it extends awayfrom the shoulder 3, or a position eccentric to the; lower spindle part 2 (as shown in Figs. 2 and 3) ,in whichcase it extends downwardly along one'side of the upper-spindle part 4toward the spindle shoulder 3. In the latter case, the .detent "I cooperates with the upper spindlepartd to maintain, the records. R of a stack of superposed .recordseccentric to the lower spindle part 2. The construction thus far described forms part of the subject matter of my 'copending application, Serial Number 637,663, filed on December 28, 1 945, andis there more fully set forth an d claimed.

Pivotally' mounted on the upper spindlepart 4 between the shoulder 3 and the lower end of the detent 'I (as viewed in Figs. 1-3) by means of a stud II) is a record stack supporting member II. The member and the detent laredisposed on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the spindle. The stud I0,which is disposed at right angles to both-the spindle axis and the, pin 6, has an enlarged portion l 2 which is received in a still larger bore I3 formed in the record supporting member I! and terminates in a head I4. The bore I 3 is provided with an annular shoulder I5. Acompression coil spring I9around the stud portion I2 .Within the bore I3 andbetween the stud head I41anfd the shoulder I 5 constantly.

urges tlielrecord' supporting member II against the upper sp'indlepart 4 The side or face of: the

member II next adjacent to the upper spindle part 4 is' formed transversely on the same c'urva ture as th'elattenso that, when the supporting member II is in the? positions shown in Figs. 2' and 3, it isheld snugly against theupper spindle part 4 by thespring I9. In these positions, the

combined transverse dimension or diameter'of the support I I: and the upper spindle part 4 is equal to that of thev lower spindle part 2, and the supporting member I I is then in substantial prolongationor continuation of the lower spindle part 2,above .the.shoulder 3.

The stud Ill. passes throughthe supporting member I I in closer proximity, to oneend l6 thereof. than to the other end I I thereof. Thus,

4 when the supporting member I I is in the position of Fig. 2, its end I6 is then in proximity to the lower end of the detent member I and the spacing between these proximate ends axially along the spindle is of the order of the thickness of relatively thick records R. On the other hand, when the supporting member is rotated 180 in either direction on its stud II) (as shown by the appended arrows in Fig. 1), its end I! is brought into proximate relation with the lower end of the detent member I. Since the end I! is at a greater distance from the stud I0 than is the end I6, it will be apparent that the axial spacing between the end I! and the lower end of the detent member I is now less and of the order of the thickness of relatively thin records Ra- To prevent binding of the supporting member I I .ferentially,as shown in Fig. 4.

mates when in either of its two above described positions and to facilitate rotating it, its longitudinal edges I8. may be suitably curved circum- When'a stack of. relatively thick records R is .to.,,be played, the supporting'member II is set as shown in.Fig. 2,with.'its end I6 uppermost. lThe recordsare then threaded on the}: spindle and the lowermost one rests on the end I 6 which constitutes a supporting shoulder therefor. The. detent member I which, in its relatively fixed record,restrainingposition as shown in, Figs. 1-3, is on the diametrically opposite. sideof .the u per spindle part [from the supporting member II now extends-down through the center holes of all.,,the records R. except the lowermost one. Thus, the latter record is free to be moved laterallylto the, left (as illustrated) byany suitable and well knownmechanism at one side of the turntable to eifectdischarge thereof while the detent .member. I. restrain's lateral movement of the other records'of the stack. This action takes place. for each successive lowermost record, in,

turn. Now, when thin'rec-ordsRs are to be played, it is merely. necessary to rotate the member II 180. to bring its end I! uppermost. The

thicknesses, and for such cases, .the form of my invention shown in Figs. 5-9 may be found suitable. Here, instead of the rotatable record supporting member II, there is provided a slidable record supporting member 2| on the upper spin dle part .4 for cooperation withthe detentmemberrfL, The spindle l isformed with a slot 22 in which is pivotallymounted a latch member 23 having a latching toe 24 which cooperates with a plurality. of V-notches 25 :formed in the supporting member 2|. The-member 2| maybe slid up.

or down axially along the spindle part4 to vary the distance between its upper record supporting end 26 and thelowerend of the detent member I, thereby to. accommodaterecords .ot difierent diameters. ,once the support 2I is in I a selected position, the latching toe 24 isbrought into enbe. h ldin proper latching position, once its toe 24 engages a;notch"25, bytheweight cfa the records: supported on the member 2 I 'I 'o facilitate releasing the latch 23 from the member 2 I, itmay bap'rovided with an extension ii'lxwhich.can be engaged'by a'finger nail orby -iasuitable' tool to push the latchaway from the'imember 2-1.

From .the foregoing description, 4 it will be ap-' parent to those skilled-in the art that I have providedan improved phonograph turntable spindle which can be incorporated into 'existing phonographs to render themsuitable foropera-tion with the new, relatively thin, as WelLasthdOldpl'Ghtively thick records. Many. forms of my present invention other than those described above are, of course, possible. For example, the recordstaok sn-pporting'members I I and 2 may be adjustably mounted on the lower spindle part 2 instead of on the upper part 4. Also,if found desirable, the detent member I may be madeadjustable lengthwise of the spindle. It will'also be evident that my improved spindle may be used effectively in many phonographs employing a horizontally disposed spindle with the records arranged thereon in vertical planes so that one of the end records of thestack will be in engagement with the member II, the member 2| or some other corresponding member. Hence, I desire that my invention shall not be limited except to the extent made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of records is supported centrally and in which su-ccessive-lowermost records of the stack are moved laterally to free them'for dropping toward the turntable, said spindle comprising a body portion, means on said body portion on which the lowermost record of the stack may rest for supporting said stack, and means comprising a-member having a relatively fixed restraining position on said body portion displaced laterally from said supporting means for restraining all but the successive lowermost records .of the stack against lateral movement, said restraining means being also spaced from said supporting mean-s axially along said spindle a distance sufficient to permit lateral movement of each lowermost record, in turn, while theirecordsthereabove are restrained. and said supporting means comprises a member rotatab'ly mounted on said body portion below said restraining means on an axis which is normal'to the axis of said spindle and which passes through saidsmember in closer relation to one end thereof than to the other end thereof whereby, when said against which one end record of a stack of records may engage, and means spaced laterally and axially from said first named means for restraining lateral movement of all said records but said end record while permitting lateral movement of said end record 'for removal from engagement with said first named means, said first named means being adjustably mounted on said body portion for movement thereon to one or another turntable, said spindle comprising a body portion,

means on said body portion on which the lowermost record of the stack may rest for supporting said stack, and means having a relatively fixed restraining position on saidbody portion displaced laterally from said supporting means for restraining all but the successive lowermost records of the stack against lateral movement, said restraining means being also spaced from said supporting means axially along said spindle a distance sufficient to permit lateral movement of each lowermost record, in turn, while the records thereabove are restrained, and said supporting means being adjustably carried on said body portion for movement to one or another of two positions for varying the axial distance between proximate ends of said supporting means and said restraining means for accommodation of records of different thicknesses.

3. A phonograph turntable spindle for phonographs of the type in which a stack of superposed rotatable member is disposed on said body portion in a first position with its said one end in proximate relation to the adjacent end of said restraining means said proximate ends are spaced from each other axially along said spindle a first distance which is of the order of the thickness of records of one thickness, and when said rotatable member is rotated to a second position to bring its other end into proximate relation to said adjacent end of said restraining means the then proximate ends of said member and said restraining means are spaced from each other axially along said spindle a different distance from each other which. is of the order of the thickness of recnrds of a difierent thickness.

4. The invention of claim 3 including means for releasably holding said rotatable member in either one of said two positions.

5. A phonograph turntable spindle for phonographs of the type in which a stack of superposed records is supported centrally and in which successive lowermost records of the stack are moved laterally to free them for dropping toward said turntable, said spindle comprising a body portion, means on said body portion on which the lowermost record of the stack may rest for supporting said stack, and means having a relatively fixed restraining position on said body portion displaced laterally from said supporting means for restraining all but the successive low-.

ermost record of the stack against lateral movement, said restraining means being also spaced from said supporting means axially along said spindle a distance suflicient to permit lateral movement of each lowermost record, in turn, while the records thereabove arerestrained, and said supporting means is movably carried by said body portion for axial adjustment thereon relative to said restraining means to thereby vary the axial spacing between said supporting means and said restraining means for accommodation of records of difierent thicknesses.

6. The invention of claim 5 including means on said body portion for releasably latching said supporting means in any preselected one of a plurality of positions.

7. A phonograph turntable spindle for phonographs of the type in which a stack of superposed records is supported centrally and in which successive lowermost records of the stack are moved laterally to free them for dropping toward said turntable, said spindle comprising a body portion having a lower part adapted to benon-rotatably arranged in concentric relation to the turntable and having a shoulder and an upper part extending upwardly from said shoulder in prolongation of said lower part, means on said body portion on which the lowermost record of the stack may rest for supporting said stack, and means having a relatively fixed restraining position on said body portion displaced laterally from said supporting means for restraining all but the successive lowermost record of the stack against lateral movement, said restraining means being alsospaced from said supporting means axially along said spindle a distance sufficient to permit lateral movement of each lowermost record, in turn, while the records thereabove are restrained, said supporting means and said restraining means being both carried by said upper part, and said supporting means being adjustably carried on said'upper part for movement to one or another of two 1 positions for varying the axial distance between proximate ends of said sup- REFERENCES ,CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,235,693 We'1ls' Mar. 18, 1941 f FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 520,941 Great Britain May 8, 1940 552,546

Great Britain Apr. 13, 1943 

